Judge Jay A. García-Gregory was born on September 19, 1944, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He attended Academia del Perpetuo Socorro, graduating in 1962. He then enrolled in Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts, graduating in 1966 with a B.A. degree. From 1966 to 1969 he pursued graduate studies in Philosophy at the University of Madrid, Spain. He received his J.D. degree from the University of Puerto Rico School of Law in 1972.
Judge García-Gregory clerked for Chief United States District Judge Hiram Cancio, after which he engaged in the private practice of law, concentrating in appellate advocacy, with the Fiddler, González & Rodríguez law firm until 2000, when he was appointed to the bench.
He has been a member of the Committee on Codes of Conduct of the Judicial Conference of the United States.
He is married to Myrella Vélez and they have two daughters.